The resilience of a community
Launch of 'Untold Covid Stories' exhibition and 'Covid Crisis - the BritBangla Response' book launch by Ripon Ray
“So powerful”
On 4th July 2024, GCP attended the launch of the new book and exhibition 'Covid Crisis: the Brit-Bangla Response' by our trustee Ripon Ray. Held at the Richmix cinema, the event was well attended by dozens of people from across the local community. GCP's staff and Chair Lily Wong Le and trustee Robert Tame attended. It was great hearing from Kawser Zaman, the Alderman for Bishopsgate and the City's first British Bangladeshi Alderman. Zaman shared the deeply personal impact of Covid-19 on his own family and how it was when his brother and he himself, both in good health, became dangerously ill. He described his role in advocating for responsive, creative communication methodologies to reach those who were unable to access government messages, for example, concerning vaccines. It was also great to hear from the inspirational media personality Hasina Momtaz, who lost her teenage son to a traffic accident and founded her own business, Soul Gems London. We also heard a moving testimonial from Sue of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, who described losing her dad at the height of the pandemic and the pain of how the restrictions affected her ability to be with him and to come together and grieve in the normal way. Covid Crisis - the Brit-Bangla Response is full of these stories and seeks to show the way the Bangladeshi community was hit by the pandemic but also by how it responded.
“Great stories, with a strong impact”
The event gave individuals the chance to pause and deeply consider the profound effects of the pandemic on their lives and communities while also highlighting the resilience and support found within our collective community.
Can you help further our reach?
If you’d like to support more events like this, please consider setting up a regular gift to Globe Community Project and help us be there not just for Refugee Week but every week.